Automobile-engine-starting device.



E. F. RUSSELL & E. E. LAVOIE. AUTOMOBILE ENGINE STARTING DEVICE.

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mg 3 w E. F. RUSSELL & E. E. LAVOIE. AUTOMOBILE ENGINE STARTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 28, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Dec.20, 1910.

y Mm! ATTORNEY WITNESSES.-

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E. P. RUSSELL 9 B. E. LAVOIE. AUTOMOBILE ENGINE STARTING DEVICE.

' APPLICATION FILED JULY 29, 1909.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 3. A

- IIVVVINTORS A TTORNEY.

Patented-D9c..2( ),-1910. I

To allwh m itma'y concemfg a 'sgecification. 1o

' EnwABn r.:-nUss Ln Ann nuennn LA'voIn, or LOWELL, nnssncnusnr'rs f' -Be it lmo'wn that .W ,.EDWARD F; RussnLn 'a'nd EUGENE E. LAvIE, both citizensof' the- United States,- residing at Lowell, in the fi 'c'ounty of Middles'ex'and Stateo f M'as'sachusetts, have. invented certain new and use- Starting-Devices, of which the'followingis urv Invention relates'to automobiles and especially to the mechanism -for starting explos ve engines therein. .The ordinary methodof starting is to turn over the engine" by the used a c'rank which is arranged with a tooth or clutch whichenga es apin on-the. end of the main engine raft, By. this" method,if the crank is turned forward, theengine .is turned over in the-"forward direction, andif the ,crank is turned the'other 2o Way, 1t is released from the shaft. Such 'a'" crank is'usually'infrontof theradi'ator or; hood, b11 t 1n"s0nie styles of machines, it is' ;on the side of the automobile somewhat in a the rear ofithe drivers seat; With such a 25. cranking system, it is necessary forthe'oper t ator to dismount to crank the'engine, and then return to his'plaee on the drivers seat.

This is inconvenient and troublesome,

Moreover, it' takes considerable s trengthnto turn over the engine, and if the engine back .fires, thecra'nk will be.-reversed, frequently causlngmjury to the operator, sometimeseven breaklng'an arm. i

The purpose of our invention 18130 provide a device by which the engine can be started without the operator leaving. the drivers seat.

Among others it accomplishes the follovv-- ing special objects. The starting lever is so 40 arranged that a bacltand forthmovement is transformed into a continuous rotar movement which is transmitted through the medium of shafts and gearing and a clutch, to-t-he engine shaft; This clutch is preferably of the friction type and is somade that after the engine starts, the clutch is released and thereafter there is, noclicking.

Besides the starting lever and the clutch, t he other principal'feature of our invention 5 is a release mechanisin 'which is operative only in case the engine reverses from any cause such as back firing. In such case, the connections from the starting lever are re leased from the engine connections, and are summon ng-niacinE-srAn'rINs pEvIcE.

s eaficatwfi w r r mk. Patent-came. 20,1910; a li atio filed m zg, 1909. .seria1-n '.5'1'o,oe c v 7 stopped instantly,- There is therefore "no danger of the operatorbeing st-ruck or. injured by the starting lever being forcibly. thrown back. f

Our mechanismdoes not interfere in any H I respect with the usual start ing crank, shown 69 ful Improvements '1n'. Automobile-Engine at L,' which can be usedif any-part-tof our "device breaks or becomes inoperative. from Uanycause. 1 In the drawings, Figure 1 1s a top-.view of our device with our hand starting lever 1pplied to the front o-f-an automobile, the autor/ mobile parts being broken away or merely :outlined, Fig. 2 is, a similar view ofour do, vice-applied to -an u 1to1nobile in which the engine is at the. rear mstead of'under the 70 front booth; Fig; 3 is a side view" of the starting leverandsegment. [Fig- 4 Isa detail of-tlie elasticcog wheelopei'ativeby the starting ratchet. Figxg) is aisid'e view of the releasingmechanism partialsection. Fi M6 is a"sect ion'al'viewfthereof "from the: rig t can? -XY"of,Fi Fig, 7 isa Us side v ew 1 another positlon. Fig. 8 1s a detail of the-friction clutch in partial section. Fig; 9 shows'a chain connection with the engine shaft. Figs. 10, 11,'-1 2,'-and 13 are details of. an alternative form of starting means'operativeby the foot. Fig-14: is aside iew. of the no; ofan automobile with our device in place, Fig, 15 is a top vievv'of an automobile --vv1th our device connected directly to the en me-shaft-in rear of; the engine instead 0 in; frontof the en ine.

-' is the foot board of an automobile and Bis the hood.- V

C-is our hand starting lever and I) is the release-mechanism V .E is the friction clutch. I I

F is art of the frame of-an automobile, G is the y wheel and H is the engine.

' Ha nd lever- C is-pivoted at 21Ia't the side of the automobile in any convenient position whereby the starting handle 22 will be within easyreach of the hand of the o'per atorfas shown in Fig. '14:." It should be out ofthe way of the change gear levers, brake levers and other'levers which arerusually 7 near the drivers' s eat.-- This starting lever C is' provided with two 'interiorly toothedcon- '10'5 centrically'curved racks 23 and 24:,th'e teeth of which pointin opposite directions; Be-"- tween these. racks,:we locate an .e'lasticfcogi wheel K which is carried by cog shaft 30 at the end of which is a bevel gear 31 which meshes with bevel gear 32 on driving shaft 33 which is supported by suitable bearings 20 attached to the frame of the automobile.

This elastic cog wheel K is rovided with movable teeth 35 each of which is pivoted I mally keeps each tooth 35 pressed outward.

Consequently the teeth 35 will engage the teeth on say rack 23 when that rack is moving against said cog teeth. When that rack 23 moves in the other direction, however, its

teeth will pass over the cog teeth in the same manner as the teeth of rack 24 are shown at the bottom of Fig. 4. Thuswhen racks '23 and 24 are moving 'in the direction of the arrows thereon in Fig. 4, the teth of, 23 will H engage teeth 35 and cog K will be turned in the direction of the arrow thereon. On the other l1a11 d, when the racks are moving in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 3, the teeth of rack 24:Wi11 engage the teeth of cog K' and will continue to move it in the .same .direction as the arrow shown on cog. K. Thereby a. backward and forward movement given to starting lever C by means of handle 22, will continuously rotate cog wheel K. This rotarymovement is transmitted on the construction shown in Fig. I, through shaft 30, bevel gears 31 and 32, driving shaft 33, releasing mechanism D, driven shaft which is supported in suitable bearings, bevel gears 51 and 52, shaft 53, bevel gear 54: an shaft 56 of the engine H.

The clutch E may be of any usual type but is preferably a friction clutch of such type that while the engine is in motion, there will be no clicking. We prefer the type shown in- Fig. 8 wherein the sector like clutch arms 60 are pivoted on the hub 61 firmly carried by mam shaft 56.. The outer faces of these arms fit the interior face 63 of clutch drum 64 and they are pivoted to.. hub 61 at'points 69 whicharenearly in linebetween the frontedge of the arm and the center of shaft 56. Suitable springs 62' press them forward and hold them normally in engagement with theinner surface 63 of thedrum64.

At the baclg near the fly wheel G, we place a cover 66 for drum 64: which fits main shaft 56 with a smooth bearing fit, and is screwed or otherwise fastened to clutch drum 64. The outer end 65 or head of clutch drum 6% is pr:- t'erably formed integral therewith and is cut to form a bevel gear 55v to mesh .with gfiar 54. As'the head 65 also snugly fits s aft 56, the clutch drum 64 is thereby supbevel'gear 55" of clutch E to main ported by it and by cover 66. We prefer to place inside of this clutch drum Vaseline or perfectly noiseless. It is apparent that when moving in the direction of-the arrow in- Fig. 8 the biting surface 63 will seize hold frictionally of the adjoining surface of the arms 60 and will tend to swing the arms pivotally in the direction which will tend to force the back of the 'arm outward thus bringing the parts together still more closely.

The result is a powerful, noiseless clutch. Now when'the engine starts and begins to rotate main shaft 56 in the direction of the arrow, it will rapidly overtake the drum 64 and as it overtakes it, the friction between surface 63 and arms 60 will tend to swing the arms out of contact, thus releasing the clutch. It will thus be seen that the clutch E will start the engine, but when the engine is started and the starting mechanism is stepped, the arms 60 will release-themselves an thereafter while the engine is going,

will spin around freely and with little or no friction in the Vaseline or oil.

e, Glutch E s ould be placed on main shaft 56. inside of crank L. In the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2, it,is between the' crank and fly wheel while in the construction shown in Figs. 14- and 15, it is behind the engine onthe .main shaft thereof and onthe o posite end thereof from crank L.--

There easing mechanism D isinterposed .between the starting gear 32 and the gear 51 which transmits motion to the clutch E.

heavy'oil 68 whereby it is self oiling and It comprises a solid or substantially-solid driving drum 7 0 carried by driving shaft 33 at the opposite end from gear 32. Driven shaft50 is centered the same as shaft 33 and carries a substantially solid driven drum 71 in close juxtaposition to drum 70.

On the face adjoining drum 70, drum 71 has 'a plurality of shallow pin receiving holes 72. Opposite these holes 72 in drum 70 is a singlepin hole 73 in which slidesa pin 74. Behind this pin is a spring 75 which normally tends to press the pin 74 forward into one of the holes 7 2 as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Thereby the drums 70 and 71' will be normally locked together or if not locked, they will be looked as soon as 'sufiicient motion is transmitted to either drum to permit pin 74 to drop into any of the pin receiving holes. On the curved surface of drum 70, we p1vot'on a projecting hearing at 80, the substantially radial release arm 81. The short end of this release.

arm 81 enters a depression in pin 74 whereby,.b v moving arm 81', pin 74 may be withdrawn; At the end of arm 81, we-pivot at right angles thereto, a' letent 82, whichis normally pressed down rd by a spring 83 intothe teeth ofstationary ratchet 84 which is preferably fastened to the bearings20 of shaft 33.

It will be readily seen that normally pin .74 will rest in one'of the receiving holes '72 x 8. This motionwillbe transmitted through the various shafts-and gears to shaft 50 and --drun1s 71 and '(0. The moment these drums,

start backward in the directionopposite' to the arrow in Figs. 6 and 7, t-he'detent 82 will strike in one of the teeth of stationary ratchet'S-it, and will be forced back and up carrying arm 81- with it as shown by the dotted lines in Figs. 5 and 7 This action will withdraw pin 74 from the receiving hole in drum 71'and will also stop drum 70 and all intermediate mechanism between it and the starting lever instantly. Instead of the gear connection-between clutch E and shaft-50, we may use a chain 90 and sprockets 91; and 92 asshown in Fig. 9.

*Instead of the hand lever, we may use a foot rack M as shown in Figs. 10, 11,12 and 13. This comprises a foot rest 93, bearing collars 94, 94, and a spindle 95 on which are rack teeth 97. These rack teeth engage teeth 100 on a collarlOl revoluble on and dispense with still more shafts and gears, In this case. the shaft 30 carries elastic cog.

carried'by a hub 102 which is attached to; and carried by a shaft 103 which is con:

nected with the shaft 33 by'jany suitable connections. In hub 102 are toothed depressions 104 and in collar 101 is a squared hole 105 in which rests a squaredpin 106 with a beveled nose adapted to slide over depressions 104 in one direction and tocatch-t-hem when moving in the o posite direction. This pin is spriL'g-presse asshown in Fig.

11, the whole being a well known form of ratc het. This foot action does not continuously rotate the engine as does our hand starting device, but it can beused on certain .types of machines.

can dispense with the shaft 53 and gears 52 and 54:, for in this case we merely run driven shaft to the rear and mesh its gear 51' directly with clutch gear In the construction shown in Fig. 15, we

wheel K at one end and becomes the driving shaftfor driving drum 70 of release mechanism"D which it carries at its other end.

The stationary ratchet :is attached directly to theside' frame of the machine and shaft 10? becomes the driven shaft as it carries at one end, drum 71 and at its other end bevel 'In the constructionshown in Fig. 2, we

I bevel v behind the engine H as stated. \Vith our device, the engine can be startsired.

\Vhat we claim as our invention and desire to cover by Letters Patent,'is:

tomobile comprising concentrically curved racks with oppositely pitched teeth, an elastic toothed cog Wheel between said racks, a

with said cog wheeland whi h passes "centrally through the stationary :atchet, a drivingdrum carried by saiddrivingshaft having a pinhole in its outer face, aa spring pressed pin slidable therein, a substantially radial armpivoted to the curved surface of the driving drum in operative relation with said pin, a spring pressed detent pivoted on the outer end, of said arm in operative relation with said ratchet, a driven shaft, a driven drum carried thereby opposite the driving drum, and pin receiving holes in the driven drum opposite-the pin in the driving drum, combined with an engine, a main shaft therefor, a hub carried thereby, sector shaped spring pressed arms pivoted t'o-said hub near oneof their straight edges and off the shaft center, a clutch at one end which 'ivotally fits the main which meshes therewith, and a cover fastened to the open end of the clutch drum and pivotally carried by the main shaft.

shaft therefor, a hub carried thereby, sector shaped spring ressedarms pivoted to said hub near one 0 their straight edges and off ahead at one end which pivotally fits the main shaft and is formed .as a. bevel gear on the open end of the clutch drum and pivotally carried by the main shaft, and means for rotating the starting shaft as described.

In an automobile starting device, a starting lever pivoted to the side of the automobile comprising concentrically curved rakswith oppositely pitched teeth, an elastic toothed cog wheel between said racks, a

an engine, a main shaft therefor, pivoted spring actuated arms carried thereby, a clutch drum pivotally supported on said main shaft-outside of said arms, a driven drum proximate the driving drum rotative with the clutch drum and having a plurality of pin receiving holes, and a hole in the driving drum opposite the pin receiving bales ii therein, a spring behind the pin,

gear 108 which meshes 1' directly with thel aspirated arm operative on said pin, a spring ear on clutch E. 7 Clutch islocated ed by the crank L in the usual manner if destationary ratchet,-a driving shaft rotati've its outside, a gear carried by a starting shaft which meshes therewith, a cover fastenedto' driving drum rotative with said cog wheel,

1. In an automobile 1 starting device, a starting lever pivoted to the side of the aurum formed with a heady shaftand is forme as a bevel gear on its \outside, a gear carried by the driven shaft -2. In an automobile, an engine, a main the shaft center, a clutch drum formed with pressed pivoted detent at the end of said arm, and a stationarymatchet adjoining the free end of the detent.

4. In an automobile starting device, a stationary ratchet, a driving shaft passed 0e11- trally therethrough, a driving drum carried thereby having a pin hole in its outer face, a pin slidable therein, a spring behind the pin, bearings which project from the curved surface of the drum, a substantially radial arm-pivoted therein in operative relation with said pin, a spring ressed detent pivoted on the outer end 0 said arm in operative relation with said stationary ratchet, combined 'with a driven shaft rotative by the engine, a driven drum carried thereby opposite the driving dium, and pin receiving holes in the driven drum opposlte the pin in the driving drum.

5. In an automobile engine starting device, means for imparting rotary motion to a drivin shaft, a stationary ratchet, said driving s aft-passed centrally therethrough, a driving drum. carried by said driving shaft having a. in hole in its outer face, a spring pressed pm slidablentherein, a substantially radial arm pivoted to the curved surface of the driving drum in operative relation with said pin, a s ring pressed detent pivoted on the outer en of said arm in operative relation with said ratchet, a driven shaft, a driven drum carried thereby opposite the driving drum, and pin receiving holes in the driven drum opposite the pin in the drivin drum, combined with an engine, a main sha therefor, a hub carried thereby, sector shaped spring pressed arms pivoted to said hub near one of their straight edges and off the shaft center, a clutch drum formed with a head at one end which pivotally fits the main shaft and is formed as a bevel gear on itsoutside, a gear carried by the driven shaft which meshes therewith, and a cover fastened to the open end of the clutch drum and pivot ally carried by the main shaft, as described. In testimony whereof we hereto aflix our signatures in presence of two Witnesses.

EDWARD F. RUSSELL. EUGENE E. LAVOIE. lVitnesses:

GARDNER W. PEARSON,. J on G. GOURDEAU. 

